Diet helps control healthy blood pressure. One option is the DASH diet. It has stringent requirements, including salt restriction to as low as 1500 milligrams per day. Mediterranean-style eating also lowers blood pressure and is heart healthy.
A survey showed that heart health in American states ranks highest by seven basic measures in Washington, D.C., Vermont and Virginia, but lowest in Oklahoma, West Virginia, and Mississippi.
After prostate cancer diagnosis, immediate treatment is not the only option. Some men with low-risk cancers can choose to monitor the cancer very closely and treat when the disease progresses. This allows a man to delay or avoid the risks of treatment.
Several kinds of strength and endurance exercise help people with Parkinson’s disease to function better, although the exercise does not slow down the disease itself.
Obtaining the generally recommended amount of daily physical activity-150 minutes a day-extends lifespan by up to five years. Men who were moderately active at age 20 could expect to gain 2.4 years over a lifetime.
CT scanning has many health benefits but also carries a small risk of causing cancer over a lifetime of exposure. The risks for older adults are very small. At any age, it is still wise to limit CT scans to what you need.
Social engagement, or how connected you are to other people, can be as important to healthy aging as not smoking or maintaining a good weight. Social engagement may also help to preserve memory. Volunteering is a good way to foster social connection.
In a study of healthy people, taking high doses of a statin drug to lower “bad” cholesterol doesn’t cause muscle weakness but does trigger minor muscle pain in a small number of cases.
Many people try chelation therapy for a variety of reasons, but it is unproven and potentially risky as a therapy for heart disease. Instead, use proven measures like daily aspirin, exercise, blood pressure control, and lowering “bad” cholesterol.
Taking fish oil before and after cardiac surgery does not help prevent the appearance of irregular heart rhythms that often follow surgery.